Dulles Town Center - How does it rate when compared to...? (Alexandria: apartments, hotels)

[cat1116]

How do you view the Dulles Town Center in comparison to any other mall that you've been to - and please give us an idea of what other malls and location [city/STATE].

[Caladium]

I'd say it's equal to a lot of other malls I've been to.

It's not far superior to all other malls--for example, it's not a tourist destination or huge, like Mall of America. It doesn't have an ice rink or anything like that. It doesn't have lots and lots of "Rodeo Drive" level stores (although it does have several very nice jewelers, Lord & Taylor, and Nordstrom).

Some things that I like:

1. It has a nice assortment of the sort of stores that I actually buy things from. Some upscale, but mostly upper middle class stores. I wish there were more gift shops/unusual shops but I guess it makes sense that a lot of those stores are closing these days. Still, they have 4-5 stores that are fun to browse through (as well as the typical clothing, furniture, sporting goods, and department stores). The Swarovski crystal shop, the Albuquerque artwork shop, and the sports autograph shop are 3 favorites.

2. I like the restaurants there, especially the Benihana and Cheesecake Factory. Mimi's is a popular place to get breakfast.

3. It's a good place to meet friends. You can go there before the stores open and see people meeting at the Starbucks and the Caribou. Also a fair number of people walking the malls for exercise. Lots of community events, such as fireworks in the parking lot and little fairs and festivals in the mall.

4. Parking is better than at most malls. It's easy to find a space, even at Christmas.

5. I love the train! Also the carousel and the kids playground that looks like Dulles Airport.

6. This is a weird one, I know, but I like that a few of the stores are only accessible from the outside. I bought a really interesting chair at that two store furniture store next to Nordie's. I didn't even know that store was there until the day I was shopping for chairs! I can't quite explain why I find this amusing, but I do.

I like that it's ringed by restaurants, then a second ring of apartments, hotels, and office buildings. I like that a lot of people can walk there from where they work or live. Also, it's a good place to catch the bus.

[cdmurphy]

I like Dulles Town Center. I usually go there at least once a week - on Sundays we like to take our kids to the play area, the food court, and either a train ride or carousel ride. (The play area is a germfest; we are always sure to hose down with sanitizer afterward. Tysons is better in that respect.) We have also been to the free weekly Rocknoceros concert.

It's never too crowded (but then again I don't go near any mall near the holidays). The food court has some good options. There are a lot of stores that I actually shop at (unlike Tysons).

[NOVA_almost_native]

I like it, and I miss it. (I've been there just a couple of times, if that, since moving to Alexandria.) It's busy but not chaotic like Tysons, and there are several good restaurants. There are far more youth-oriented stores than are useful to me, although I enjoyed them 10 years ago when I was in my early 20s. I think it's a good "family" mall, while having lots of options for teenagers, too.

[Fleur~de~lis]

I like DTC - it's got all of my "go-to" stores - Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, Bath & Body Works, Dicks Sporting Goods, etc. Plus, all of the kid/teen stores my DS likes. It's not huge like the malls in Texas, or Tysons & Pentagon City, but it's sufficient for me & my family. And it's clean & a not a big "teen" hangout like I've seen at other malls. Works great for me .

[normie]

It's my favorite of the malls in northern VA, although Tyson's is more fun if you're window shopping during the holidays. DTC is where I actually buy things.

My favorite thing about DTC is watching the people in the Cookology cooking classes. They always seem to be making something intriguing and I love seeing all the students in their white chef hats. Also, who doesn't love that train? It's hilarious.

DTC does a good job getting new tenants for vacant stores. I like the furniture store that moved into the old Disney Store. The store I miss is the Virginia Store. It was fun to go in there and see little wooden models of Loudoun buildings and other local merchandise.

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by normie

DTC does a good job getting new tenants for vacant stores. I like the furniture store that moved into the old Disney Store. The store I miss is the Virginia Store. It was fun to go in there and see little wooden models of Loudoun buildings and other local merchandise.

Yeah, I liked that store too. After the DTC one closed, there was still at least one other, at Manassas Mall. I went there a couple of times but I think it's closed now too (I haven't been to Manassas Mall for years.)

I was thrilled when the Body Shop finally came to DTC. Now if we could just get L'Occitane...

[Caladium]

Speaking about restaurants, don't forget P. F. Chang's is opening in November. Can't wait, I love having lunch there.

[terrence81]

I went there once after an interview in Herndon. I think I got some earrings at piercing pagoda and a t-shirt at Hot Topic. It was nice if I lived in the area I'd be all about it but I wouldn't go out of my way to shop there. It doesn't have anything that I can't get at Fair Oaks or Pentagon City. Tysons is just too big and busy for me I rarely go there. But I would consider Tysons a destination mall while I would actually consider Dulles Town Center to be kinda ordinary. And I'd say the same about Fair Oaks mall but since I work just across the street I'm over quite a bit.

[SteelCityRising]

Dulles Town Center is also my favorite mall in the region for the aforementioned reasons. My friends and I love Tysons for Brio and the movie theater. Fair Oaks is fine in my book as well. I like the Kirkland's there. I've bought numerous home decor items there "on the cheap" since moving here.